26th Jan 2013On 24th Nov 2012 more than 10,000 people marched to protest against the closure of the Accident & Emergency department at Lewisham Hospital. If the proposed closure goes ahead, the loss of Lewisham A&E will endanger lives by depriving Londoners of a critical, life-saving public service, by increasing journey times to and placing increased burdens on other A&E departments across London, and by setting a dangerous precent for the closure of NHS services throughout the UK.

The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign have organised a 2nd demonstration for next Saturday, 26th Jan 2013. PLEASE JOIN THE PROTEST at Lewisham Roundabout (by Lewisham Station) at mid-day, to march past the hospital, to Mountsfield Park, for a rally, music and a giant petition. Please send this information and the leaflet below to all your colleagues, contacts, family and friends.

Bob is a construction worker and community activist in Australia who helped organise a campaign to get subcontracted workers the same pay as workers employed by the Queensland Children's Hospital. Over 600 people went on strike for 9 weeks. When the trade unions were served an injuction banning them from the site, Bob ignored the courts and went on site anyway, and in response, Bob is facing severe contempt of court charges. His defence campaign is calling for messages of support to the campaign and to call on Abigroup to drop the charges. You can find model motions and more information here: bobcarnegiedefence.wordpress.com.

The NHS is under attack. We're facing an ever-increasing number of closures to Accident and Emergency departments, maternity wards, and essential care departments. Privatisation is happening across the sector, and the Secretary of State for Health, intent on closing departments, sacking staff, and underfunding treatment, has described the NHS as a "60 year disaster". This meeting will discuss the changes happening in the NHS, with speakers from the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign, Save Our Hospitals North West London, and Keep Our NHS Public. But most of all, it will be an open organising meeting to discuss how we can start to fight back and defend the NHS.

The Trade Union Council (TUC) Congress passed a motion late last year from the Prison Officers Association which agreed to 'consider the practicalities' of a genral strike of all UK unions against austerity. The General Council of the TUC in December agreed to survey all the unions throughout January and February 2013 to see if this was a possibility.The SOSiS Steering Committee which met in December agreed to call on all affiliates and supporters to get their own trade unions to support this call. Only massive generalised action by millions of trade unionists - supported by students, young people, pensioners and the unemployed - can defeat this government's attacks on working class people and on public services.